Electrical connector with adjustable cover



p 9, 1952 T H. H. BURTT ETAL 2,610,222

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH ADJUSTABLE COVER Filed Aug. 3, 1949 2 M II 4/ 2 7 1 36 INVENTORS HO? 0 H. BURT L AM .KOEN

B3 LEON LBERT wziwv Patented Sept. 9, 1952 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH ADJUSTABLE oovER Horatio H. Burtt, Hartsdale, William W. Koenig, Flushing, and Leon Gilbert, New York, N. Y., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Winchester Electronics, Incorporated, Glenbrook, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Application August 3, 1949, Serial No. 108,258

2 Claims. (01. 173-328) This invention relates to electrical connectors and more particularly to electrical connectors of the panel mountable and separable part type.

It is an object of the present invention to provide in an electrical disconnect connector having parts sealed with respect to one another in an air tight manner and adapted to be sealed in a panel opening wherein the insulating parts. containing male and female terminal elements can, upon the surrounding metal containing parts being released, be backed off from one another by the turning of a single coupling screw adapted to tighten the parts and draw them together and upon the turning of the screw in the opposite direction cause the backing oil of one of the parts from the other, the other part remainingfixed upon the panel mounting and still sealed to prevent the leakage of air through the panel opening.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector adapted for mounting upon a panel in an air tight manner with a seal being disposed between joined parts and which includes casing parts wherein a casing part receiving the lead-in wires which connect with the terminal contacts in one of the insulating parts can be adjusted upon a fixed casing part and turned at an angle with respect to the other casing part and such that the cable wires can lead from any one of a great number of angular directions from the connector, by the simple removal of a spring ring having specially formed axially extending projections which can be brought toward one another to release the ring and thereby to release the casing part upon the other casing part so that the adjustment can be effected and the engaging and retaining teeth on the one casing part entering different teeth on the other casing part which is fixed and wherein thereafter the adjustment has been made the spring ringcan be easily put in place to hold the parts tightly coupled, the access to the spring ring being effected by the simple removal of a cover or plug part on the one casing part.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an electrical connector of the separable and panel mountable type which is of simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, easy to mount upon the panel, wherein the parts are sealed with respect to one another, has a minimum number of parts, compact, rugged, wherein the parts can be separated from one another and adjusted easily and quickly and efiicient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference maybe had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the connector embodying the features of the present invention mounted upon a panel board, the view being taken generally on line l-l of Fig. 2 and locking in the direction of the arrows thereof.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the connector. l i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective and sectional view of certain of the parts of the connector and showing in particular the coupling and backing off screw arrangement.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the casing parts which can be angularly adjusted with respect to one another with portions broken away to show the peripheral teeth upon the parts which mesh with one another upon the angular adjustment of the one casing part being made with respect to the other casin part.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken generally on line 5-5 of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrows thereof with portions being broken away to show the teeth upon the other casing part. l 7

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the spring ring which serves to retain the casing parts after the angular adjustment of the same has been effected, the ring having axially extending projections which can be easily grasped with-pliers to contract the spring for the effecting of its removal from the groove of the one casing part and from its retaining position.

Referring now to the figures, l0 represents a panel on which the connector is mounted. This panel has an opening II for receiving an outer shell [2. This outer shell is provided with a shoulder l3 which contains a gasket 14 adapted to have sealing engagement with one face of the panel [0. This shell I2 is threaded at 15 to receive a nut l6 which enters a recess in the opposite face of the panel which secures firmly the shell l2 to the panel l0 and within the opening ll thereof. M

This shell [2 supports an insulating part I! containing a plurality of circumferentially spaced female terminal contacts I8 and a central internally threaded ground terminal [9. The shell part I2 has internallyextending flange 2| against which the insulating member I7 is brought and retained by an internally threaded retaining ring 22 connected to threads 23 of the shellpart H. A sealing grommet 24 is disposed between the insulating member I1 and the flange 2| of the outer shell [2.

of one shell with respect. to: the'other.

3 Each female contact I8 is shouldered at and held against a sealing ring 26 by a small spring retaining clip 21. The contact will have the usual projection 28 to which a cable wire can be soldered;

The central, groundi contact; is,- shoulderedijas.

indicated at 29, and this shoulder bears against a seal 30 in the insulating member ll. The ter minal contact [9 is held in place in the insulating member I! by a retaining nut 31-. A- portion; 32' is provided on the terminal for receiving'a cable wire. This terminal [9 is internallythreaded -as indicated at 33, to receive, a coupling screw. 34'

which has a flange 35 and adapted tobear against the end of the terminal l9 when all ortheparts of the connector are in full coupled relationship,

Figs. 1 and 3. The screw 34 iormsa part of the.

ally. a; shell 3:7,. a. casing: 38 singularly-"adjustable upon the shell 3.1;. an insulating member- 39. con-- taining; male contacts e li, a plug 4.2 and. the, cou' plingrandbachingoff 'screw The shellor sleeve 31: isadapted to;fitthes-hell [2. The shell 31 receives and tightly retains.the insplating member 319;. The shell, 3.:7? has. an inwardly extendin rib; ditzwhi'ch, projects into. a SlQtyQIf; groove? 4.4 of: the-insulating. member saw prevent the angular displaoementof the insu1at-- ing; member relative to.- the; shell, 35!. The shell 35!: also has an external, longitudinally extending groove-; for receiving aylongitudinally extending projection 46; ofthe; outer shell I25. to, properlylioca-te: the male contact assembly 36: within. the shell 12 and; to prevent theangular displacement As the male contactassembly .35 enters. the. outer. shell I-Z; the contact terminals? I'- of'themale assembly will be properly; aligned; with; thefemale contacts- 8 'for connection therewith. The: shel1r3z7'has an outwardly extending flange 41 at its. outer: end and, on: the inner face of which isa series of teeth. serrations 43'. These; teeth. serrations receive; complementary teeth. serrations on; an inwardly extending. flange 5;l of the casing part 3 9i The casing part 38ca-nbe angularly-adjusted upon the; inner shell 37 to any desired; position to locate; its sleeve projection 52 through. which wire cables extend to any desired. an le relative to the shell and relative. to the fixed; parts on the-panel), Qnce theadjustment of theca-sing; 38 has. been made; upon. the sleeve 31, the teethupongthe parts. will be: retainedin mesh with; one; another by spring retaining ring 53; Figs. 1' and: 6. This ringhas separableend. portions 54:3;116. 55" on, each of which is an. inwardl extending; portion; 55 with. a longitudinal part; 5-1.. Witha. pair of pliers the parts 51. can be grasped: to; con.- tract: the: spring ring. 53 andibring' the end por-. tions 54 and 55 together so that the ring-3 can be lbfcateddnz roovefit on the casing'partaaii whom the insulating; member 39: as well. as the casing part? 38 and sleeve 37 in coupled relationship.-

sealing ring- 59: is disposed between the insulati'ng member 39* and the flanged end of the sleeve 31-. With the plug 42- removed from the; casing part SBQa'ccess: can; be; readily had to thering 5,3;

to remove the same and" permit thefpatts; to; be diust d to have. the? c b e wires; fromqthej male contact terminals 41' and more particularly. from.

the end portions 61 thereof, extend at the proper" angle from the connector. 7

The plug 42 has an inwardly extending sleeve projection 62 which contains the securing and backing. oft,v screw 34. Within the sleeve: projection is; a; shoulder 63, Eig'. 3, against which a shouldered portion of the screw 34 reacts to effect the backing off action of the male contact assembly 36, The shoulder on the screw is indicated at: (it. The inner end of the sleeve projection 62 is sealed upon the insulating member 39 by seal -65; 'Ilheinsulatinemember 39 has a large openins-E6; :w-hichv receives the internally threaded central terminall and coupling member l9 secured to the insulaiting' part :1.

The screw 3 i has a nut 61, Fig. 3, for fixing it: tothe plug 42 In order to prevent the nut 61 from becoming detached, the end of the screw itselfis-upset, as indicated at 68, or provided with solder or such other suitable means as to make certain. of the ooupledrelationship or the: screw 34 with-:the' plug; 42 The screw. 3'4" is journalledin theplug so i that it. can be: turned therein; to eiiect the. coupling" of! the male: contact assembly with. the female contact assembly; Upon the reverse: turning motion-of the; screw. the. screw 34' with: the pants: assembled? thereon. and: including the male contact M; will-beevenly hacked oil; from the female contacta assembly:

Toe effect the turning: of; the; screw? 3.4 there? is provided. a baila 1 l1 and: the; ends thereof -:are, made. secure: to the" nut Gli by. pins; T2. Theseypinsl extend: into;openings- .1:3; provided; in the nuke-1; Provided; 1117011113118; bail: 1 la isat. wide:- wine'- :handle portionJAJ. The bail ll:with.this-.handlenortion:

- sleeve; 31 7. A sealzltds provided between the plug:

and; the-,casin part .38:

n; the sleeve projection; 52: thereymay be dis.- posed-8 cover sleeveg'mfor thezcable, wires enter? ing the casingpart. The part. 81 of'thespring. ring; 53.may. serve a a terminal-ion the connection of;- the ground wirejsincethis ring is;-in conetact with the casing part 38- to which-.the screw. 34-: which iscoup1ed with; theterminal I 9 :iSa'COIV nectedI bymeans of the plugA 2;

It should'nogw; be apparent thatthere has been provided an: electrical connector in: which; the

femalecontact assembly can befreadilyfixed to the panel in sealing engagement. therewith, and wherein the parts thereofi arev in sealing: engage.- ment with one another: so that leakageof: pressure between the; opposite-sides of; the; paneliwill notresult.

It should alsobeapparent that the male con-- tact. assembly has its parts; sealedwith respect to oneanothen so..that. pressure leakage through itg-will not result. It shouldjbe fnrther apparent thattherehas been providedun-the malercontact assembly-means for efiectin relative adjustment of the casing parts thereof. andion-retaining the:

same. in: the I angularly a-dj usted ipositionand that:

the-male contact assembly; is so; constructed that its coupling member for the securement; of the: same to the female contact assembly serves to cfiectzthediscngagement ofthelassemblies by.-the reverse; turning; of the; coupling member.-.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A socket for an electrical connector comprised of separable contact assemblies, said socket comprising a sleeve, an insulating member fitted in said sleeve, contacts carried by the insulating member, said insulating member having a flange thereupon, said assembly sleeve having a flange engageable with the flange of the insulatin member, said flange of the sleeve having on its forward face a series of teeth extending peripherally thereabout, an outer casing part having an inwardly extending flange with teeth on the inner face thereof engageable with the teeth of the flange of the other assembly sleeve whereby to hold the outer casing part upon the sleeve in angular adjustment thereupon, said outer casing part having a peripheral recess therewithin adjacent the flange of the insulating member and a spring locking ring adapted to be seated in the peripheral recess and engageable with the flange of the insulating member to hold the insulating member, the outer casing part and the other assembly sleeve in locked engagement with one another and the outer casing part in locked engagement with the fiange of the outer assembly sleeve.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the outer casing part and the spring ring are of conductive material, the spring ring having an inwardly extending projection therein serving for the contacting of the ring with a tool and adapted to receive a grounding wire terminal.

HORATIO H. BURTT. WILLIAM W. KOENI G. LEON GILBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,068,399 Dash et a1. n Jan. 19, 1937 2,247,386 John July 1, 1941 2,286,952 Cannon et al June 16,1942 2,419,018 Gudie Apr. 15, 1947 2,440,279 Larkins Apr. 27, 1948 2,457,119 Bour Dec. 28, 1948 

